The School of Education at Virginia International University will be hosting its inaugural Conference on Language, Learning, and Culture (CLLC) on April 11-12, 2014, with the goal of sharing best practices and emerging trends in these closely intertwined areas.

This year’s theme, Innovations at the Intersection of Language, Learning, and Culture, intends to frame educational experiences as ideally meeting the needs of diverse students, their communities, and the various stakeholders who can benefit from high-quality, socially responsive language programs.

Plenary speakers include:

- Dr. Terrence G. Wiley, President and CEO of the Center for Applied Linguistics, on the multilingual heritage and contemporary linguistic diversity in the US- Dr. Shelley Wong, Professor at George Mason University and past TESOL President, on student advocacy and empowerment- Dr. Ken Petersen, Technical Director of Online Learning & Assessment for American Councils for International Education, on innovations in technology for the modern classroom

Important Dates:

- Deadline for abstract submission: December 23, 2013- Notification of acceptance: January 24, 2014- Submission of papers (for inclusion in the Conference Proceedings): May 23, 2014 - Early registration: From November 1, 2013 to February 28, 2014 ($10 for students, $30 for non-students)- Regular registration: Begins March 1, 2014 ($20 for students, $40 for non-students)

On-site registration is possible on the day of the event.

Optional Conference Excursion:

Conference participants will have the opportunity to go on a group excursion to DC's famous National Cherry Blossom Festival, which is scheduled to take place from March 20-April 13, 2014. Saturday, April 12 is the date of both the annual Festival Parade and Sakura Matsuri, a Japanese Street Festival. For more information on these events, please visit the festival's website: http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/

Additional Information about VIU’s School of Education:

Virginia International University is a non-profit university located in Fairfax, Virginia, just outside of Washington, DC. Our students hail from more than 65 countries and nearly all of the continents. We offer Master’s degrees and Graduate Certificates in Education and TESOL.

For more information on the VIU School of Education, please visit www.viu.edu/SED.

Call for Papers:

Proposals for colloquia, panel discussions, workshops, posters, and paper presentations are invited in the following areas, as well as others related to the conference theme:

Language Learning and Development:

- Development of first and additional languages across the lifespan- Cognitive, affective, linguistic, cultural, and social/contextual factors- Heritage language learning- Language attitudes and identity construction- Cross-linguistic influences and multicompetence- Biliteracy development

- Local, national, and international education policies - Community needs and responsive language-program development- Outcomes-based evaluation - Assessment and action- Teacher training and professional development

Abstracts must be anonymous, written in English, and identified as falling within one of the conference strands outlined above. The final section of the abstract should include a list of intended outcomes for participants attending the presentation. Abstracts for workshops, posters, and papers should be no more than 400 words in length. For a colloquium or panel discussion, the organizer should submit a single abstract on behalf of the group, devoting 300 words to the overall theme and intended outcomes and 100 words to each paper or panelist included. Titles of presentations should be no more than 15 words. Additional information regarding presentation types can be found on the abstract submission website.